Medication error after Gabapentin in cats

The FDA has received 53 reports of medication error in cats after Gabapentin. That is 2.7% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.6% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

53Reports

75%Marked serious

15%Recovered

25%Died or euthanised

31 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

6 13%

1–2 days

2 4.3%

3–7 days

3 6.4%

1–4 weeks

12 26%

Over a month

24 51%

How the animals did

Recovered

8 15%

Still unwell when reported

27 51%

Died

3 5.7%

Euthanised

10 19%

Not known

5 9.4%

Problems reported at the same time

Loss of appetite

17 32%

Didn't work as expected

17 32%

13 25%

13 25%

12 23%

10 19%

7 13%

6 11%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Gabapentin used for pain and to reduce stress or anxiety.

Questions owners ask

Can Gabapentin cause medication error in cats?: 53 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within 31 days of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

All reported side effects of Gabapentin in cats · Medicines most reported with medication error